Never Look Back
by Shabbuuu
Summary: Jackie and Hyde decide to leave Point Place instead of waiting for Kelso to return. AU. Rated for language and some minimal adult content. This story does not have any of the Point Place gang, just Jackie and Hyde.
1. Chapter 1

Hyde was sitting on the couch in the Forman basement watching a Charlie's Angel rerun when Jackie came in. She dropped onto the couch next to him, leaving no space between them. Her head fell against his arm. Without a word Hyde shifted and lifted his arm to put it around her. Jackie scooted closer to him so that their sides were completely pressed together.

The two sat in silence together, watching TV undisturbed for a shockingly long period of time, almost the entire episode of the show, before they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Jackie shifted to the other side of the couch just as Mrs. Forman appeared on the landing with a laundry basket in hand.

"Oh, Steven, Jackie. You two are down here again? If I didn't know any better I'd say you were dating," Kitty told them before letting out her unique laugh.

Jackie didn't reply and Hyde just grunted. Jackie's silence made him curious though. Usually she would have been chatting his ear off the entire afternoon. Today though, she hadn't said a word.

Kitty began to ramble on about how sad Eric was with Donna in California. She asked them to try and get him out of the room the next day, or at least out of his room for a couple hours. Both shrugged in response, already knowing where Eric would be the next day and it wouldn't be with them. Kitty took as a positive response though.

"Oh good! I knew I could count on the two of you. I'll just leave you alone now so you can decide what kind of trouble you get into tomorrow. Oh, just don't do anything that will make Red want to put a foot in your A-S-S."

Hyde grunted again as Kitty set off up the stairs.

Immediately Jackie scooted back over to him. She placed her hand on his stomach, her fingers running down the center of his stomach then back up.

"Steven, do you ever think about leaving? About going somewhere else and never looking back?" Jackie asked after a moment.

"Whatever," he shrugged, waiting for her to get to her point.

"I'm serious Steven. Do you ever think about that?"

Hyde could tell she wanted an answer so he shrugged.

"When I was younger I did. I still do sometimes I guess. It's just not as much as I did when I was really little, before Edna left." She was silent still so Hyde asked "Why?"

Jackie took a deep breath like she was going to explain but then she just let it out in a huff.

"I don't know."

Hyde would have to be dense to miss the fact that something was bothering her.

"What's up Jackie?" he asked, softer than before.

He waited but only heard her sniffle after a moment and inwardly groaned, wondering what he had done to piss her off. He rubbed her back slowly, waiting for her to talk to him. That was usually best with her he'd found.

"Sometimes," she began, "I hate it here. I just want to leave this crappy town."

Hyde's hand stopped moving for a second. So he hadn't done anything to piss off the petite brunette? This wasn't about him? Thank god. His hand continued to move as she cried into his chest.

"It's just that there's nothing here for us anymore and I just want to leave."

Hyde stiffened. So that was what this was all about. He was nothing to her. His hand fell off her back and he shifted away from her.

"Listen Jackie," he growled, completely freeing himself from her. "Kelso'll be back in a few weeks. He doesn't need to know about any of this."

Jackie's head snapped up and she searched his eyes. Her eyes welled up even more before she covered her face and sobbed into her hands.

"Oh my god! You don't want me!" she cried.

"Yeah, well you don't want me!" Hyde argued. His Zen had finally broken.

But he wasn't sure why she was mad at him. He wasn't the one sobbing over someone else. No. That was all her and he wasn't going to be her rebound.

"Yes I do!" she yelled, jumping to he feet.

"Yeah and that's why I'm 'nothing' to you right?" he spit.

He had spent enough time being nothing to people in his life and he was done with it.

"What are you talking about?" Jackie cried out throwing her arms in the air.

"You _just_ said that you have _'nothing'_ to keep you here."

He wasn't even finished when Jackie started shaking her head.

"No. I said _we,_ as in you and me, have nothing keeping _us_, as in you and me, here."

"Whatever Jackie," he said, dropping into his chair.

"No Steven, not _whatever_. It matters."

"No it doesn't. Kelso'll come back in a few weeks and then you'll just be right back to him."

"I don't want Kelso!" she argued.

Hyde pretended not to notice she had said Kelso instead of Michael but he did notice.

"I just want you. God. Why is that so hard for you to understand?"

"Well, if that's the case then what was up with the whole 'I have nothing here'?" he challenged.

"_WE _have nothing Steven! Either of us. I was going to ask you to run away somewhere, anywhere, with me but apparently you don't want to," she said, her anger turning into sadness as tears slid down her cheeks.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Without another word Jackie stood up and left the basement, the door shutting quietly behind her. He almost wished she'd slammed it so at least then he could be pissed. Now he just felt bad.


	2. Chapter 2

"_WE have nothing Steven! Either of us. I was going to ask you to run away somewhere, anywhere, with me but apparently you don't want to," she said, her anger turning into sadness as tears slid down her cheeks._

"_Oh."_

"_Yeah."_

_Without another word Jackie stood up and left the basement, the door shutting quietly behind her. He almost wished she'd slammed it so at least then he could be pissed. Now he just felt bad. _

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Fuck," Hyde sighed as he rubbed his face under his glasses.

He really had been an ass but how was he supposed to know? He'd always been everyone's trash. Why would he expect to be anything different to Jackie freaking Burkhart? Hyde sat there for a few minutes thinking about what she had just said to him.

Finally he stood and went back into his room. He dug through the old cardboard boxes in there until he found Red's old military issue duffle bag. He pulled all of his clothes out of the dresser and set them on the bed.

Hyde managed to cram all of his clothes into the bag. He moved it to the floor then took his sunglasses off and set them on the bedside table as he rubbed his face again.

This was stupid, right? They were just teens. Hyde had just graduated high school and Jackie still had her senior year left. Where were they going to go? Was it permanent or temporary? How were they going to afford it?

He groaned in frustration as he leaned against the wall of his bed. She was obviously upset and she wanted out of this town, whether it was for good or just for a day, she was apparently ready to leave.

And if he was being honest, Hyde felt something with Jackie that he'd never really felt before. He liked her, a lot, and not just in the way he normally liked chicks, when they were naked in a bed. Not with Jackie. Sure that didn't hurt but he didn't mind sitting on the couch watching The Price is Right with her, even when they weren't making out.

He would never admit it to anyone else but he could see a future with her and that scared him but her walking away without him scared him even more.

Without another thought he stood up, grabbed the bags and his car keys. He swung the bag over his shoulder. On his way out the door he left Eric's ticket to California on the table with a note that he should go bring Donna back. As he left the basement, he didn't look back. He was moving on and he refused to start by looking back at his shitty youth.

Outside, he hoped the Formans were fast asleep because as the Camino revved to life he didn't want to be stopped to have to explain where he was going at eleven at night with a giant duffle bag.

Hyde turned the radio on as he drove towards the Burkhart house. As he drove he wondered if he should have left them a note, letting them know he was leaving. He thought about turning around to leave one but decided against it. He wasn't really sure what he would say in a note anyway to explain that he was running away with a cheerleader who had been engaged to his best friend not even three months ago. Yeah, that was exactly what he wanted. Plus for all he knew they'd be back that afternoon.

Hyde pulled into Jackie's driveway. He knew her parents weren't home this week so he wasn't concerned with being quiet. Hyde shut the car off and went to the front door. He tested the handle. It was locked which he was glad about. She had a habit of leaving the doors unlocked when she was home alone or wasn't there.

He left the doorstep and walked over to the side of the house where her room was. He shimmied up the drainpipe to her window. It was already cracked open. Hyde pushed it open even further and slipped through it.

He slid as silently as possible onto her floor. He glanced over at the bed where Jackie was lying on her side in the clothes from earlier with just a sheet covering her waist down. Quietly, he took his boots off then slid under the covers behind her. He wrapped his arms around her slim waist. She burrowed deeper against him in her sleep.

"Mm, Steven," she mumbled in her sleep.

Hyde smiled then kissed the skin between her ear and hairline softly.

"Jackie," he hissed. "Wake up baby."

Jackie mumbled something else in her sleep then turned to face him. She snuggled against him, her hands cradled between them.

"Jacks, wake up," he repeated, slightly louder this time.

She stirred slightly but her eyes remained closed.

"Steven?"

"Yeah. Wake up," he whispered.

Her eyes opened and she looked up at him. Jackie leaned back as far as she could on her twin bed and looked at him. She reached up and rubbed her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"So you broke into my house and got into bed with me? You really are a delinquent are you?"

"Whatever. Listen. Were you serious earlier about leaving? About going anywhere but here?"

Jackie looked at him, unsure what to say. She seemed to struggle for words so Hyde kissed her.

"Just answer honestly," he encouraged.

Finally Jackie nodded. "I want to leave, Steven. I don't want to be here anymore."

Hyde nodded in response. "Okay. Pack some stuff and we'll leave."

"Right now?" she asked in shock.

"Right now."

"If you're messing with me," she warned.

"I'm not. Pack some of your crap and let's go."

"Don't you want to know why I want to leave?" she asked.

Hyde scratched the back of his neck as he internally debated if he wanted to know why his girlfriend was so hell-bent on leaving town.

"Not really," he admitted.

"Well, I want you to know. I need you to understand so will you listen to me?"

Hyde rolled his eyes. It figured that she'd ask him if he wanted to know but already had her mind made up that he would listen to her regardless of his answer.

"Fine. Go."

"Okay, good. I want to leave because as I said earlier I have nothing left here…nothing besides you," she said quietly.

"Jacks," he began.

He wasn't really sure what he wanted to say but he wanted her to know she was important to him too.

"Please, just let me get this out there because I really think you need to know this before we go. You have to hear this, okay?"

Hyde nodded and she continued.

"See, the thing is, my dad's an alcoholic. He's always drunk and a few months ago my mom left. She said he was going broke and she had to find someone who could take over the expenses for her lifestyle. So I've been dealing with my dad since she left and he got really bad a few weeks ago and I had to check him into the hospital. And he died Steven. He died today. And I don't know what's going to happen to me and I don't want to find out," she explained as tears fell down her cheeks.

Hyde frowned and pulled her into his lap. He rubbed her back. He couldn't believe that she had gone through that alone and hadn't said anything to him, or to anyone. Jackie clung to his neck as she cried.

"I'm just sick of being left and I love you and I don't want you to leave me too."

Hyde froze. She did not just say that, right? Surely he had lost it. Jackie's grip tightened, sensing his panic and willing him to say something. Hyde just started rubbing her back again, pulling her tighter against him.

Hyde didn't know if he loved her but there was definitely something there for her and it was pretty strong. Jackie continued to cry against him and he wasn't sure what to say.

"It'll be okay," he promised. "Do you want help planning the funeral?"

"They're just going to bury him tomorrow. He really doesn't need a funeral. No one would go and as bad as it sounds, I just want to be done with it. A funeral would just waste time and money and I just don't want to be here anymore. Can we just go?"

Hyde could see the pleading in her eye. He leaned forward and kissed her softly.

"Are you sure about this Jackie?"

"Yes," she nodded without any hesitation. "Can we please just go? Please?"

Hyde nodded. "Pack. We'll leave as soon as you're done."

He still had a lot of questions that he didn't know the answers to but that didn't matter. What mattered was that Jackie was begging him to save her and as always he couldn't say no to her. He could never say no to her.

"We're leaving tonight?" she asked hopefully.

Hyde shrugged. "I thought you wanted to get out of here as soon as possible?"

"I do! If we're leaving tonight though you should probably get some sleep while I pack. I might be awhile anyway. I obviously can't take everything with me and there are going to be some tough decisions to make tonight. I promise though; I'll be as quiet as possible."

Hyde had to admit it was a good idea. Who knew how long he'd be driving tonight? He wanted to get a few hours out of dodge before he stopped and a few hours of sleep couldn't hurt.

Jackie jumped out of the bed and strutted into the bathroom. Hyde laid down in the bed, stuffing one of her pillows under his head. He shut his eyes just as he heard Jackie groan from the bathroom.

"I can't believe I let you see me like this. I do not know why you want to leave with me after you see me looking like this."

Hyde chuckled. "Cause you're still hot."

"Thank you! You get to sleep though. I'll wake you up when I'm ready to leave.


	3. Chapter 3

"_I can't believe I let you see me like this. I do not know why you want to leave with me after you see me looking like this."_

_Hyde chuckled. "Cause you're still hot."_

"_Thank you! You get to sleep though. I'll wake you up when I'm ready to leave._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hyde was woken up later that night with Jackie's tongue in his mouth and her hips rolling over his erection. Hyde responded to the kiss, not even bothering to open his eyes. He brought his hands up to her hips trying to still them.

It was then that he realized she was naked. To check, Hyde slid his hands to her ass. Sure enough all he felt was skin. Jackie must have known what he had been doing because she reached back and grabbed his wrists. She brought them up to her breasts. He groaned into her mouth as he kneaded the flesh.

"If we're leaving you have to promise to wake me up like this every day," Hyde insisted before moving his mouth to her neck.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Half an hour later they were dressed and more or less ready to leave. Jackie surveyed her room one more time, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

Hyde spotted the white stuffed unicorn on the floor next to her bed. He hated that he had to remind her about Kelso's stupid gift from a few years back but he didn't want her to be upset because she forgot it. He'd feel too freaking guilty if he just let her forget it.

"What about Fluffycakes?" Hyde asked when she turned to leave.

"I don't want him. I used to need him but I won't need him anymore," Jackie replied with a shrug. "Where are your sunglasses?"

Hyde reached up to his face and for the first time realized he didn't have his rose tinted shades to cover his eyes.

"Uh… I don't know," he replied, confused.

He tried to think of the last place he had had them. He had them when Jackie showed up in the basement and he had been wearing them during their fight. He had them when he was packing.

"Shit," he groaned. He had left them on his bedside table.

"What?"

"I left them at the Formans'."

"Oh. Well we can get them if you want."

"No. I don't need them."

If Jackie could go without her security blanket then Hyde could go without his he decided.

"Are you sure? You love your shades."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks though."

"Whatever."

Hyde leaned down and kissed her quickly before he pulled back.

"Where's your stuff?"

"I put it in the hall. I didn't want to forget anything so I moved it where we'd see it."

Hyde nodded and followed her out into the hall. He observed the half a dozen suitcases and shook his head.

"You know I don't have room for all that crap in the cab right?"

"What do you mean?" Jackie asked, looking up at him.

"Some of that has to go in the bed of the truck."

"No!" Jackie argued. "There are bugs and rain and other stuff back there that I don't want getting into my luggage."

"Jackie, I'm telling you there's no way all of that is fitting up front, even with my bag in the back."

"I cannot put one of my bags in the back of the Camino. I just can't."

"I'm sorry but you're going to have to put more than one back there."

"Steven," Jackie whined.

"Doll, if it was something I had any control over I would let you put it all up front. It physically will not fit."

Jackie huffed, grabbed two of her bags and stormed down the stairs, a determined look on her face. Hyde groaned in anticipation of her solution.

He grabbed the remaining luggage and followed her down. The front door was open so Hyde walked out after her. Jackie stood in front of the passenger's side door, examining the inside of the car. Hyde set the remaining bags next to the two she had brought down. Jackie examined them carefully. She pulled forward the Camino's passenger seat and Hyde had to admit he was impressed she knew it could do that. She set the biggest suitcase of hers at the bottom of the well behind the seat where it fit almost perfectly. She then set two smaller ones on top of it. She shot him a triumphant smile.

"Then this suitcase can go behind your seat and your bag can go on top of it. Then these two can go at my feet. Problem solved!"

Hyde shook his head but took the large suitcase that she wanted behind his seat over. The back was still folded down so he set it on the floor behind him. He then reached back and grabbed his duffle. He tossed that on top of it. It fit perfectly. Well actually there was still room in between the two piles of luggage. He looked at Jackie through the car.

"Give me those two over there," he instructed.

She slid them over to him and Hyde stuffed them behind the seat as well.

"See, I could even bring more than that if I wanted," she smiled over at him.

"No. That's enough."

"Well excuse me Steven but if you want me to look this good all the time then I needed supplies."

"No you didn't. You're always hot," he said as he lifted the seat back.

Jackie got into the car. When Hyde slid in beside her she kissed him.

"That was a very sweet thing for you to say."

"Yeah, well don't get used to it," he warned.

"I won't."

"Good. And you're sure you don't need anything else?"

"I just need to grab something really quick. I'll be right back."

Hyde nodded as she jogged into her house. He was sure that she'd reappear with the unicorn. He waited until she came running back out with a backpack.

"You change your mind about the unicorn?"

"No. I just need to grab my papers and some things like that."

"Cool," Hyde nodded.

"You brought yours too, right? Just in case?"

"Yeah I have all that stuff," Hyde nodded.

"Okay then. I guess we should go," Jackie sighed.

"You're sure about this, right doll?"

"A hundred percent," she nodded.

Hyde glanced down his watch. It was two thirty six as he backed out of the driveway.

"We can wait until the morning if you want," Jackie offered before he could actually leave the driveway.

"No. I want to get as far away as possible by the time everyone wakes up tomorrow."

Jackie nodded in understanding as he drove down her street towards the town limits.

"Which way do you want me to go?"

"Well I don't want to go to Canada so north is out," she began. "And I mean we can't head due east at all really so that's out too. I've always kind of wanted to live on the coast or at least near it so I can go to the beach from time to time."

"What about the east coast? You're near a beach but you're also near a city."

"Perfect," Jackie said smiling at him.

The first few minutes in the car was silent. Jackie looked like she was fighting sleep as she stared straight out the window.

"You look exhausted," Hyde told her.

"You're a real charmer there Hyde," she teased.

Even if it was a joke, he had to admit it was weird and kind of unsettling to hear her call him Hyde instead of Steven.

"All I was saying Burkhart was that you should get some sleep. I don't care if you sleep while I drive."

"I have a hard time sleeping sitting up," she explained with a shrug.

"So then lay down. There's enough room."

Jackie leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You really are sweet you know."

"Yeah, well whatever," he grunted.

Without another word Jackie laid her head in his lap and sprawled out across the rest of the seat. Hyde reached over her to turn the radio on. He knew she had a hard time sleeping without it. When he found a station with some decent music his hand dropped down to her hair. He ran his hand down her hair as she shut her eyes. His hand moved to her side. He slowly rubbed her side and back as she drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_Without another word Jackie laid her head in his lap and sprawled out across the rest of the seat. Hyde reached over her to turn the radio on. He knew she had a hard time sleeping without it. When he found a station with some decent music his hand dropped down to her hair. He ran his hand down her hair as she shut her eyes. His hand moved to her side. He slowly rubbed her side and back as she drifted off to sleep. _

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Nine hours later Hyde could barely keep his eyes open. They were physically falling shut as he drove. He took the next exit to find the nearest motel. Jackie had fallen asleep with her head in his lap again, after she had woken up for a few hours earlier in the day. Hyde couldn't see a vacancy sign anywhere and he didn't want to wake Jackie up just yet if they didn't have any rooms available.

He opened the car door as quietly as he could. Lifting her head just slightly from his lap, he slipped out from under her before setting her head on his balled up sweatshirt. He shut his door then locked it.

Inside the motel was just as crappy as the outside but all that mattered was if they had a bed for him and Jackie to sleep in.

"Can I help you?" a sleazy looking guy asked from behind the desk.

"Yeah, man. I need a room."

"Kay. What kind of room?"

"One with a bed?"

"Well what size bed?" the guy coughed.

Hyde winced at the hacking and took a subtle step back.

"One big enough for two people."

"Alright. Fill this out please."

Hyde filled out the information then counted out the bills. He set that down as well. The man extended a key over to Hyde. Hyde took it and walked out.

He walked back to the car and peered in the window. Jackie was still asleep. Hyde opened the door and squatted down. Brushing the hair out of her face, he kissed her forehead.

"Jackie, baby, wake up."

Hyde wasn't really sure when he had started calling her baby but he was now, regularly. It no longer felt weird saying it to her.

"Steven?" she questioned, rubbing at her eyes.

"Yeah. Get up."

"Is everything okay?" she asked as she sat up.

"Yeah. I just have to stop. I'm beat."

Jackie looked over at him. She touched his cheek.

"Poor baby," she said seriously as she ran a thumb over his beard.

"I'm not a baby Jackie."

"Whatever Steven. Come on. Let's just get you to bed," she said.

She scooted out of the car towards him until her legs were between his. She waited for him to move but he felt suddenly exhausted. He let his head fall on her shoulder and Jackie wrapped her arms around him. She rubbed his back as he sat there like that.

"Steven, don't fall asleep on me," Jackie warned. "I can't carry you to bed like you do with me."

Hyde forced himself back from her neck and stood up. Jackie followed him back. He went to reach for her bags but Jackie stopped him.

"Let's just go to sleep. You can get the bags later."

"You realize that that means you can't do anything until I wake up right?"

"Well I can come out and grab my bags whenever," she shrugged.

Hyde glanced back to the sleazy desk worker and the neighborhood around them. Yeah, she couldn't come out to the car by herself.

"Do me a favor and just don't leave the room without me for right now."

"Why not?"

"Because, look at this place. It's not safe."

Jackie smiled up at him. Hyde frowned. He had been expecting an argument from her about this, not a sly little grin.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," she shrugged.

"Jackie-," he warned.

"It's just you're worried about me and I like it."

Hyde couldn't even argue with the fact that he was worried about her. He was. God forbid something happened to her while he was asleep. He'd never forgive himself. Hyde shook his head.

"It's okay to care, you know?" Jackie assured as she laced her fingers with his.

Hyde shrugged as he swung his duffle bag over his other shoulder. "If I only bring in one bag which do you want?"

Jackie huffed but pointed to the big one underneath where his bag had been. Hyde grabbed it out of the car. He set it on the ground so he could shut and lock his car then picked the suitcase back up off the ground.

"What room?"

"Eight," he replied, handing her the keys.

Hyde let Jackie lead him to room eight. He was ready to collapse. As soon as he was inside the room he dropped the bags on the floor and fell onto the bed. His eyes fell shut and he began to doze off. Before he could actually fall asleep though he felt Jackie tugging at his boots until they fell off his feet.

"Thanks," he mumbled into the pillow.

"Steven, take off your pants."

"Too tired."

"Come on baby. You'll sleep better without them."

"No."

Jackie sighed before flipping him onto his back. She unbuttoned his jeans then slid the zipper down. If he hadn't been so fucking tired he probably would have gotten hard at her actions but he was so he wasn't. Hell he couldn't even open his eyes to try and watch.

"I'm going to need some help with this," Jackie told him.

"Just leave it Jackie," he growled.

He tried to roll over but Jackie was faster than he was. As he flopped over she tugged his pants down to his thighs. Then she pulled them completely off his legs.

"Sleep tight," she whispered before planting a soft kiss on his temple.

"Lock the door," he insisted before he fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_He tried to roll over but Jackie was faster than he was. As he flopped over she tugged his pants down to his thighs. Then she pulled them completely off his legs._

"_Sleep tight," she whispered before planting a soft kiss on his temple._

"_Lock the door," he insisted before he fell asleep._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

When Hyde woke up it was completely dark and silent in the room. He reached towards the center of the bed but it was empty. He leaned up and tried to look around the room as his eyes adjusted. It was empty.

"Shit," he said, shoving himself out of the bed, suddenly awake.

Where was she? He looked around again but this time he saw the light from under the bathroom door. He breathed a sigh of relief before walking over to the door. He could hear the shower running and his heart beat began to slow. He knocked on the door. He had to make sure she was in there.

"You can come in Steven," she called back.

Hyde stepped into the steamy room.

"I wasn't sure when you'd get up and I was about to go pick up something to eat."

"I told you not to leave," he reminded her as he pulled himself onto the countertop next to the sink.

"Well I was hungry and I thought you'd sleep through the night."

Hyde yawned as he checked his watch. Quarter of ten.

"Well just for future reference, wake me up if you want to go somewhere."

"I can take care of myself."

"Maybe in Point Place but we're not in Point Place anymore. We're in…" he tried to think of where they were but he couldn't remember.

"Pittsburgh."

"Pittsburgh," he nodded. "Cool."

"Yeah. I want to explore. Oh, can we go clubbing?"

"No."

"Please."

"No. We need to decide where we're going from here. I'm going to go get the maps and bring in the rest of your stuff. I'm taking the key to the door. Don't open that door for any reason," he instructed as he slid off his seat.

"Quit being so paranoid. Nothing is going to happen, Steven."

She was right. Nothing was going to happen to her. There was no way he was going to be responsible for something happening to her. First, because he had run away with her. She was his responsibility. Second, she couldn't take care of herself. She was way too attractive and innocent looking and too tiny to actually protect herself if anything happened. Thirdly, he felt something for her and he wasn't sure what it was but he wouldn't be right if something did happen to her when he could have prevented it.

Hyde left the room after he had gotten dressed and, after ensuring the door was shut and locked, went to the Camino. He shoved the maps into his back pocket then grabbed her suitcases. He lugged the five bags to the door. He had to set them down as he unlocked the door. Then he carried them the remaining foot to inside the room.

He glanced up to see Jackie leaning over her suitcase wearing only a towel. Hyde's eyes slid up her legs, her toned, tanned legs, until they disappeared under the cheap hotel towel just a few inches from the apex of her thighs.

"When did you get so sexy?" he genuinely questioned as he walked to sit next to her suitcase on the bed.

Jackie tossed her damp hair over her shoulder to look at him.

"I've always been this way," she explained.

Hyde wanted to argue. Sure, she'd always been attractive but something had changed since last summer. She had been cute or he'd even give her hot back then but now she was sexy and Hyde would even maybe admit that she was beautiful.

Hyde didn't explain this though. Instead he reached over and tucked a piece of hair that had fallen in front of her face back behind her ear. The couple stared into each other's eyes for a minute before Hyde smiled at her. He pecked her lips lightly then pulled the maps out of his back pocket.

"Where do you want to go?" asked Hyde.

Jackie shrugged. Hyde could see she was sad or upset about something. She was probably homesick. She'd had a lot of time to think about their leaving now and he wondered if he'd be heading back home.

"C'mere."

He guided her to sit in his lap. Jackie buried her face into his neck. Hyde rubbed at her back.

"You know, we can go back whenever you want."

"I don't want to go back," she maintained.

"Okay. But even for the future Jacks, you just say the word and we'll go back."

She pulled her head away and looked at him. "Do you want to go back? Because you don't have to stay here."

"I don't want to go back either," he assured her.

"Are you sure? Because now I feel really bad about making you leave. I don't want you to stay here if you don't want to."

Hyde shook his head. God, she was going to turn him into Forman if he kept having to explain why he was doing every little thing.

"Jackie, I'm here because I want to be with you, okay?"

"Really?" she asked, looking touched.

Hyde groaned. "Of course."

"Oh Steven."

She leaned forward and kissed him. Hyde deepened the kiss as he fell back onto the bed, bringing her, in only her short little towel, with him.


	6. Chapter 6

"_Jackie, I'm here because I want to be with you, okay?"_

"_Really?" she asked, looking touched._

_Hyde groaned. "Of course."_

"_Oh Steven."_

_She leaned forward and kissed him. Hyde deepened the kiss as he fell back onto the bed, bringing her, in only her short little towel, with him._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The next day Hyde woke up to find Jackie still naked and asleep in his arms. He remembered ribbing his friends about letting a chick stay the night but Hyde had found the exception in Jackie. He really did like sleeping with her and he literally meant just sleeping with her. Sure the other stuff helped but there was something nice about waking up to her.

Hyde slid out of the bed, careful to not wake Jackie up. On his way to the shower he checked the clock on the bedside table. Eleven a.m. Apparently their hunger had been forgotten and their exhaustion had caught up with them.

As he showered Hyde thought about what their options were. Jackie had mentioned something about wanting to check the city out. She had suggested clubbing but the last thing they needed was for her to get caught sneaking into a club underage. Whoever caught them would try calling her parents and then when they didn't get an answer god knows what they would decide.

But maybe checking the city out today wasn't such a bad idea. They could go walk around, get something to eat, maybe even catch a movie or something if she wanted. Plus he really didn't want to even think about getting back in the car already.

Before he could think of anything else he felt two arms encircle his chest. She kissed his shoulder. Hyde reached his arm back and brought her around to his front.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Mhm," she nodded against his chest.

He glanced down and saw her eyes were still closed. "If you're tired go back to sleep. We're not in a rush or anything."

"I just want to be with you right now."

"You okay?"

"I'm just a little homesick I guess," she admitted with a sigh. "And I feel better when I'm with you because you make me feel like I'm home."

Hyde rubbed her back as she continued to cling to his waist. Keeping one arm on her back he reached over and grabbed her shampoo. He squirted some into his hand behind her. He brought his hands up and began to lather in the shampoo, rubbing it through her hair.

"What are you doing?" she laughed.

Hyde smiled. She'd seemed off the last couple of days. It was the first time he'd heard her full on laugh since before her dad died.

"Don't laugh at me," he warned.

"What are you doing then?" she repeated, still smiling widely at him.

"Remember when we were watching that movie a few weeks after Veteran's Day? There was the scene where the guy just washes his chick's hair when they're in the shower. You said that was..." he hesitated to say it but finally he spit it out. "You said it was romantic and sweet."

Hyde felt the blush on his cheeks as he said it but Jackie just beamed up at him.

"Oh my god Steven. I can't believe you remembered that. I can't believe you actually did it! That is so amazing of you. You are the best boyfriend ever."

Jackie began to plant kisses all over his face. Hyde sighed, knowing she'd never let him live this one down. Finally she pulled back and looked up at him. She looked like she wanted to say something but was holding her tongue.

Hyde knew what she wanted to say but he was begging her not to. Not until he knew how he felt. She opened her mouth and Hyde's hopes vanished.

"You really are amazing. Thank you, for everything."

Hyde was relieved. He thought for sure she had been ready to tell him she loved him. Hyde still didn't know. How could he? They'd only been together like two months and Hyde had never loved anyone, not even people you were supposed to love naturally, like his mom.

And to be quite honest, the idea of loving Jackie scared him. She was nothing like him. They were complete opposites and she could do so much better than him. She could marry some rich guy with aspirations that could give her anything she wanted. Right now Hyde couldn't even afford a decent hotel room.

"Are you okay?" Jackie asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

Hyde looked over at her. She had rinsed the shampoo out of her hair and now had some of that other crap in her hair. She looked so innocent just waiting for him to answer her with her big, round eyes.

"Whatever."

"What's wrong with you?" she asked as she rinsed out the other stuff now too.

"Nothing," he said, getting out of the shower.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"Out for a cigarette."

Jackie followed him to the main part of the room, wrapping a towel around her as she did. Hyde pulled on his jeans and one of his tees from the top of his bag as she looked at him.

"Steven, is everything okay?"

"I just need to think," he snapped.

"Oh. Okay."

Jackie's eyes welled up with tears as she turned away from him. Hyde's head fell back. Why was he such an ass? He hadn't wanted to upset her. He just needed some space for a minute to think.

Hyde sighed and walked over to her. He put a hand on her shoulder and turned her around. He pulled her into his arms.

"I promise I'll be back in like five minutes. I'm going to be right out front. I just need a minute."

"Why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not," he assured her. "I just need a cigarette. I'll be back."

Jackie stepped away from him. "Fine," she said, wiping her eyes.

"I'll be right back baby," he assured her.

He kissed her lips quickly then walked out the door.

"Stay inside until I get back Jackie."

"Whatever."

Hyde shut the door behind him. Outside he slid to the ground, leaning on their door. He dug out his cigarettes and lit one.

What was wrong with him? Jackie had told him just the other day she was sick of people she loved leaving her and yet he had just walked out on her. Sure, he was going right back in but still. She was probably scared he was leaving too.

He had only been out there a minute and had only taken two pulls of his cigarette when he put it out to go back inside.

In the room Hyde saw Jackie lying on the bed sobbing. He felt a pang in his chest as he silently walked over to her. Hyde sat down on the edge of the bed. He reached out to soothe her.

"Don't touch me!" warned Jackie.

Hyde shifted so he was laying down next to her but didn't touch her. Jackie kept her face turned from him.

"Jacks, baby, can you look at me?"

"No. Leave me alone right now Steven."

"Just talk to me. Please?"

"Look, I need some time to myself and you won't let me leave the room alone so can you please just give me some space. Please?"

Hyde sighed. Fair enough. He had gotten his moment alone outside. If Jackie needed a minute alone then he could give her that.

"Okay. Are you hungry? Do you want me to go get lunch for us?"

"Yes please."

"Right. I'll be right back. I'm just running across the street to that deli over there then I'm going to get the room for another night. Then I'll be back."

"That's cool."

Hyde smirked. Before he left, he kissed the back of her head quickly.

"Please stay inside and keep the door locked."

Jackie nodded into her pillow so Hyde left.


	7. Chapter 7

"_Right. I'll be right back. I'm just running across the street to that deli over there then I'm going to get the room for another night. Then I'll be back."_

"_That's cool."_

_Hyde smirked. Before he left, he kissed the back of her head quickly._

"_Please stay inside and keep the door locked."_

_Jackie nodded into her pillow so Hyde left._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Twenty minutes later Hyde was back in the room with two sandwiches in a bag, a large bag of chips and two bottles of pop. He'd also stopped at the convenience store and grabbed Jackie a couple of magazines

Inside the room Jackie was now dressed and sitting on the bed flipping through one of the ad-magazines the hotel left in all of the rooms.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hi," she said back, not looking up from the magazine.

Hyde pulled the chair up to the bed but kept a good two feet between them. He didn't want to piss her off any more than he already had by invading her space right now.

"I got you some magazines. Do you want the turkey or the roast beef sandwich?"

"Whatever."

"Don't be mad. I just needed a minute. I came right back."

"But you still left," she replied sadly.

Hyde felt that pang in his chest again. She was homesick and she was mourning her dad and he had just walked out when she needed him. And she hadn't even _done _anything that would justify it. No he'd just left her for no reason, or at least in her mind.

"I needed to think."

"About what?" she demanded, setting her magazine down.

Hyde rubbed his eyes as he thought how to answer. When he met her eyes he knew he had to tell her the truth.

"You and me."

"What about us?" she questioned nervously.

"Why do you want to be with me? I mean you could be with anyone so why me? The scruffy burnout loser from some no place little town."

"Why do you do that?" she asked, examining him. "Why is it that whenever things get tough you talk down about yourself?"

Hyde shrugged.

"Well I want you to stop. I'm only going to say this once because if anyone is going to be getting ego boosts from someone else in this relationship it's going to be me getting compliments from you, okay? I'm with you because I love you. And I love you because you always protect me and you're always there for me. You took me to my prom because I needed someone to take me, taught me how to be Zen, you got arrested for me so I wouldn't go to jail, you hit Chip because he was going to use me, you ran away with me because I wanted to escape. I love you because you're always there to take care of me when no one else is. You do things like wash my hair because I'm upset and you want me to feel better. And most importantly I love you because you love me. I don't think you know it yet but I can tell you do."

Hyde just stared at her in shock.

"And I know you love me because you do all those things for me and the way you look at me. You look at me like I'm important. You make me feel special. And you don't look at anyone like you look at me."

"Huh," Hyde grunted as he tried to digest what she had just told him.

Jackie had always told him she understood him better than he understood himself but now he considered the possibility that she actually did. He did a lot of stuff for her that he wouldn't do for anyone else. Not Eric or Red or Donna or even Mrs. Forman. Just Jackie.

And he didn't even think about doing it for her. He just did it.

"See? I'm right," she shrugged, seemingly 100% better and picking up one of the magazines he had bought her. "Don't worry. You don't have to say it until you're ready. Oh and I want the turkey."

Hyde extended the deli bag to her. She took it and pulled both sandwiches out. She unwrapped them then took the lighter meat sandwich for herself, leaving him the roast beef.

"Can you go back to Zen Steven because this confused, panicked look you have going on is rather unsettling and not nearly as sexy as your Zen. You kind of look like Eric."

"Oh my god. I love you," he gaped.

Jackie's eyes widened. "Did you just…?"

"I _love _you?" he demanded now.

Jackie's face fell.

"Well you don't have to make it sound so terrible," she pouted.

Hyde looked at her again. "Sorry but I'm just surprised. I mean, how long have I loved you?"

Jackie shrugged as she ripped a piece of the crust off her sandwich. She popped it into her mouth as she thought.

"I thought that maybe you did last year, after you got arrested for me but I knew for a fact the first time we had sex," she said, blushing.

Hyde cocked an eyebrow at her, asking why then.

"We were making out and you were touching me and that was all frenzied and everything but when we went back into your room you turned on music for me and don't try that 'I was just trying to cover up your loud mouth' bull you told me then because we both know we were alone. And after that you slowed everything down. You were kissing me sweeter and slower and it was just so passionate. Then when you were actually inside me you were so gentle. And the way you looked at me," she sighed. "You looked at me like I was _everything_ to you. I don't think you know just how much your eyes give away when you don't have your glasses. When you were looking down at me I could tell that you loved me."

Hyde shook his head. That was only a few weeks after they hooked up. He'd been in love with her all this time? He had to be in love with her for at least a month. A freaking month. And he hadn't known it. But she was right, he did. When it was laid out for him he knew he did.

He thought back on all the times he'd done things for her. He'd taken her to prom just because she was a pain in his ass but at prom was when he had his first positive feelings for her. She'd been pretty cool that night and looked great. He wondered if he could seriously trace his feelings for her back to two years ago. Well, he wouldn't put anything past himself right now. He'd loved her and didn't know it for god only knows how long.

As he thought about everything, Jackie sat on the bed, her sandwich in front of her on the bed. She had opened the chips at some point or another and was eating as she watched him digest everything.

"Steven, eat something. Your stomach was rumbling earlier so I know you're hungry."

"How can you be so calm? I love you!"

Jackie raised her eyebrow in amusement. She patted his leg.

"I love you too but that doesn't mean we don't need to eat something."

As soon as Hyde heard her say she loved him back his heart sped up. He liked hearing her say it back. Hyde moved towards her. He kissed her hard as he laid her back on the bed.

"I love you," Hyde actually told her for the first time.

Jackie beamed up at him. "I love you too."

He kissed her again, guiding her up to the top of the bed.

"Steven?"

Hyde looked down at her.

"Will you make love to me?"

She was blushing lightly at her suggestion. Hyde kissed her all over her face, her cheeks, her chin, her forehead, her nose, and finally her lips.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered into her ear before kissing it softly.


	8. Chapter 8

"_I love you," Hyde actually told her for the first time._

_Jackie beamed up at him. "I love you too."_

_He kissed her again, guiding her up to the top of the bed._

"_Steven?"_

_Hyde looked down at her._

"_Will you make love to me?" _

_She was blushing lightly at her suggestion. Hyde kissed her all over her face, her cheeks, her chin, her forehead, her nose, and finally her lips._

"_You're so beautiful," he whispered into her ear before kissing it softly. _

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Jackie moved to curl against him a second later. She ran a hand over his beard, which he knew she hated, and just looked at him for a minute.

"Steven, that was amazing."

"Yup," he nodded.

"I miss home," she sighed after a minute.

Hyde rolled onto his side so he was looking at her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Jackie, baby, we can go home whenever you want, alright? I want you to remember that."

"I know that. I don't want to go back. Really, I don't. I just miss it, you know?"

"You know what would make you feel better Jackie?"

"What?" she asked.

"If we figured out where we're going from here."

Jackie bolted upright. She clapped and nodded at him.

"Can we?"

Hyde nodded and grabbed the maps off the side table as he sat up. He also grabbed the sandwiches they'd never eaten and set them in front of him.

"Let's see," Hyde said clearing his throat.

"What about New York? It's known for music and fashion, right? You like music and I like fashion so it's a compromise," she suggested as he took his first bite of food since two days before.

"I mean, maybe. But New York's expensive. Like way out of my price range."

"Well I have some money."

"Yeah but-wait what? What money do you have?"

"Oh it's the money Daddy kept in his safe. I took it before we left."

Hyde looked over at her. He arched an eyebrow at her, amused.

"You stole money from your dad's safe?"

"Well, it's not really stealing. That money was going to be my inheritance," she argued.

"Except for your mom and dad are still hitched so it was hers too."

Jackie rolled her eyes at him.

"Please. My mother will get the house and everything else. She owed me at least this much."

"So how much was in there?"

"Five thousand dollars."

Hyde nodded. He had three grand saved up so eight grand wasn't a bad start for them. It'd get them wherever they wanted to go and give them a little bit of startup cash until they got established.

"That's cool but I still don't know if that's enough for New York doll. I mean maybe a really crappy apartment there, like really crappy but even then I don't know if we would be able to afford the rent every month after we ran out of cash."

Jackie pouted out her bottom lip as she looked at him. Hyde nipped it then kissed her softly.

"I just think it's a bad choice, okay? If we go there we might not be able to make it very long. We have to be smart if you really don't want to go back, okay?"

"Fine," she huffed.

Hyde squeezed her hand as they continued to look at the map, thinking. He still wanted to go to a city. A bigger city meant fewer questions. The last thing they wanted were a bunch of questions so a small town probably was bad.

"Alright, so what about Albany? It's like about two hours north of New York and probably cheaper."

"What's it like there?"

Hyde shrugged. "No clue."

"Well how am I supposed to decide where to go if I don't know what it's like?"

"I don't know. The only place I know is Point Place and the area around it."

"Oh, right. Well, I guess Albany it is then."

"Alright," he nodded.

"Can we please go out baby?" she asked, touching his cheek again.

Hyde was getting a little stir crazy himself so he nodded at her.

"Yeah, we'll go get into something. What do you want to do?"

"Clubbing."

Hyde rolled his eyes. This again.

"I know you like dancing Jacks but we can't sneak you into a club. What if you get busted? If you get caught then we'll have to go back to Wisconsin. They'll make you go live with your mom and that can't happen doll."

"Are you sure you just don't want to go dancing with me?"

Hyde smiled at this insistence. He grabbed her hand and leaned into her.

"Maybe that's part of it," he admitted. "But more importantly, we have to play by the rules if we don't want to go back."

Jackie smirked at him. "Does that mean you'll be giving up the circle?"

Hyde froze. He'd never thought of that but she raised a good point. If he got arrested for trying to buy they'd have to pay his bail and if the charges stuck no one would be there to take care of her. He groaned.

"Damn."

Jackie laughed and scratched his beard.

"I didn't mean to ruin your night baby."

"You're right though. I guess I will have to stop."

"I'm sorry."

Hyde smiled. "Yeah, well there are things you can do to distract me from the lack of circle."

Jackie giggled as Hyde slid his hand up her back, under her shirt. Hyde leaned forward and nibbled at the soft skin under her chin. Jackie's hands moved over his chest and shoulders.

"Okay, sweetie, enough of that."

Hyde pulled back, frowning. "Sweetie?"

"You don't like it?"

"Not at all."

"Whatever. Either way though, no more of that just now."

"Why not?" he asked, sucking on her neck again.

She moaned softly then jumped away again.

"Because I want to go out and every time you start this we never leave!"

"We'll go after we finish this," Hyde told her, trying to pull her back into his lap.

"No we won't. We'll end up doing this again."

"So what?"

"So I want to go do something with you more than hole-away and do it. Don't get me wrong. That's fun too but we never went on a date in Point Place and I'd like to go on one now."

Jackie's hand ran down his chest to his stomach and then back up. Her face was so hopeful that he knew he didn't really have a choice. They'd already gotten into one argument on this trip and he really didn't want another right now.

"Alright. Let's go."

Jackie beamed up at him.

"Thank you honey."

Hyde grimaced.

"No?"

He shook his head.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: I'm so sorry that I have not updated recently. I just moved and didn't have internet for the first week. To make up for this, I'm posting two chapters. Enjoy!**

"_So I want to go do something with you more than hole-away and do it. Don't get me wrong. That's fun too but we never went on a date in Point Place and I'd like to go on one now."_

_Jackie's hand ran down his chest to his stomach and then back up. Her face was so hopeful that he knew he didn't really have a choice. They'd already gotten into one argument on this trip and he really didn't want another right now._

"_Alright. Let's go." _

_Jackie beamed up at him._

"_Thank you honey."_

_Hyde grimaced._

"_No?"_

_He shook his head._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

An hour later Hyde was walking through downtown Pittsburgh with Jackie's arm looped through his. They had driven here from the motel on the outskirts of the city and were now trying to figure out what to do.

"Oh! Let's go there," Jackie insisted, pointing at a lit up square a block down from where they were.

It looked alright so Hyde let her pull him towards the place. Jackie walked right into one of the buildings there, still pulling Hyde along. Inside was dark and smoky. Hyde held her hand tighter and tugged her closer to him. Until he could get his bearings he wanted her close to him, just in case.

He glanced around. The two had wandered into a restaurant/bar that looked way more like a bar than a restaurant but it had tables and a menu and no minimum age. It was pretty crowded and loud, music thumping through the building. Hyde pulled Jackie against his chest as two guys leered at her. Jackie slid her right hand into his back pocket.

"You trying to pickpocket me?" he yelled in her ear over the music.

Jackie giggled.

"Why would _I_ steal from _you_?" she teased.

"Are you mocking me?"

"Maybe."

"Yeah, well just for that you're treating."

"It's not a date if the girl pays Steven."

"Well then, maybe you should get a real man sweetheart," a deep voice said from behind them.

Hyde looked over to see an older guy, maybe fifty years old, eyeing Jackie. Jackie grimaced at the old man.

"Ew. You're old and sweaty. Leave me alone."

"Listen you little bitch," the man said, pointing at Jackie.

Hyde stepped between the old man and Jackie. He could feel Jackie clinging to the back of his Rolling Stones tee, watching over his shoulder.

"Hey, man, just leave us alone," Hyde warned.

"You should keep a leash on your little whore."

Hyde glared at the man. Who the hell was he to talk about Jackie like that? Clenching his fist, he reeled back to hit the guy. Before he could swing at him Jackie griped his bicep.

"Steven no!"

Hyde glanced at her then turned his attention back to the guy. He didn't want to give this guy the chance to take him by surprise.

"You can't get in fights either. We need to stay out of trouble, remember?"

"Aw. Are your parents going to ground you if you get into a little fight?"

"Fuck you," Hyde growled.

The man smiled as he stepped closer to him.

"Steven, come on. Let's just go. We'll go somewhere else."

Hyde really wanted to just knock the smile off the asshole's face but Jackie was right. He couldn't. She stepped next to him and laced her tiny hand in his.

"Steven, come on," she said, tugging him towards the door.

"So I guess you're the bitch in this relationship then, huh?" the old guy pushed, stepping closer again.

A crowd had started forming around them, waiting for a fight to break out and Jackie was squeezing his hand.

"Steven, please baby. Let's just go," begged Jackie.

Hyde could hear the distress in her voice. He glanced over at her and saw tears in her eyes.

"Fine. Let's go," he sighed.

Hyde turned. Keeping Jackie in front of him, he walked quickly from the bar. He could hear the guy laughing and throwing insults towards him as he walked out. If he didn't need to be there for Jackie he would have turned around and beat the living shit out of the guy. But that wasn't the case. Instead he followed her out.

Outside, Jackie wrapped her arm around his waist as she pulled herself against his side. Hyde's arm went around her shoulders. She rubbed his back as they walked.

"Thank you for walking away."

"Whatever."

"I was so scared you were going to fight him."

"I can hold my own Jackie."

"I know that. But what if he'd pulled a knife or one of his friends jumped in or something?"

"I can handle myself," he repeated.

"I know but still Steven I was worried. I worry about you," she said, running her hand across his stomach. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Hyde sighed. "I know babe. I know."

"Can we just go back to the room please?"

"You wanted to do a date night."

"Yeah but I'm just not in the mood now."

"Come on, Jacks. Don't let that ruin our night. We didn't fight. Nothing happened. Let's just go somewhere else. Do you want to go see a movie maybe? What's that one stupid movie you wanted to see? Grease?"

"You'd really go see that with me?" she asked skeptically.

"It's our first date. I have to do whatever you want, remember?"

Jackie laughed as she thought back to their date the November before, where'd she'd told him that it was her choice what they did because if a guy wanted to make the girl happy he had to do whatever the girl wanted and first dates were the most important.

"I remember… Alright. Let's go."

Hyde continued down the block. He had seen the theater on the drive into town and he tried to remember exactly where it was. He couldn't quite figure it out. Jackie however must have remembered because she led him right to it.

Hyde bought the tickets and a pop for them to share. In the empty theater he let Jackie pick their seats. She chose the back row, dead center. Hyde put his arm along the back of her seat and Jackie leaned against his chest. They watched the previews as more people filed into the room.

She rubbed his thigh as the previews came to a close and the movie began. Immediately Hyde knew the movie was going to be crappy but as he looked down at his girlfriend he could see how happy she was. He wanted to be annoyed that he was actually dating a girl who liked this movie but he couldn't be as he watched her smiling at the screen.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

As they left the movie, Jackie chatted about the movie. Hyde pretended to be listening but he was pretty sure they both knew better. He nodded when she suddenly looked up at him expectantly. She rolled her eyes and a smile played at her lips, one she was trying to hide from him. It was a sexy look, that playful but serious and skeptical combination.

Hyde ducked his head down and kissed her. Her mouth parted as she let out a surprised breath. But then she was kissing him back. Hyde pinned her against a brick building and began to explore her mouth, loving the taste of her tongue on his.

Jackie's arms locked around his neck, holding him close to her. He was so close to just fucking her against that wall right then and there but she'd be pissed and embarrassed after they were done.

He let her tongue into his mouth now and ran his hands down her body, letting them take in the warmth radiating from under her tank top and the smoothness of her skin as he reached the gap between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her shorts.

"Hey now! Break it up," a raspy voice said from behind them. "Go on. Get outta here."

Hyde pulled back from Jackie. Her cheeks were red and she was avoiding looking at the guy shooing them away. Hyde glanced over his shoulder.

"Sorry man. We'll go."

The cop grunted as they walked away quickly, Jackie giggling the entire way. Hyde pulled her next to him.

"That was not funny. You almost got me arrested again."

"No. That was all your fault. And quit exaggerating. We weren't getting arrested."

Hyde smiled down at her. "Look who is all badass now."

"I've always been badass. That's just been another one of those things you've overlooked," she shrugged.

That one he couldn't argue with. She probably had always been badass.

"So where to now?"

"Can we go back to the room? I want to finish what we just started," she whispered.

Hyde glanced down at her. She looked turned on, her eyes glassed over and her lips pouted out. She rubbed his chest, waiting for an answer, her hand wandering to his belt buckle. It hesitated there for a second before moving back to his pec.

"Yeah, let's go."

The two of them walked quickly to his car. Hyde opened the passenger's side door and let Jackie get inside. Then he walked over to his side to quickly drive back to the hotel.


	10. Chapter 10

"_So where to now?"_

"_Can we go back to the room? I want to finish what we just started," she whispered._

_Hyde glanced down at her. She looked turned on, her eyes glassed over and her lips pouted out. She rubbed his chest, waiting for an answer, her hand wandering to his belt buckle. It hesitated there for a second before moving back to his pec._

"_Yeah, let's go."_

_The two of them walked quickly to his car. Hyde opened the passenger's side door and let Jackie get inside. Then he walked over to his side to quickly drive back to the hotel._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hyde woke up the next morning with Jackie's body tangled with his. Her head was on his chest with her one hand while the other hand held on to his arm. Her one leg was tucked under his right leg while her other twisted between both of his legs. He wasn't quite sure how they had gotten so tangled but he was comfortable.

He brushed the hair out of her face so he could watch her sleep. He wanted to laugh as her lips moved like she was speaking. He listened and heard the soft sounds coming out of her lips. Figures that even in her sleep she couldn't stay quiet.

Jackie rubbed her face against his chest, her nose crinkling. He pushed the hair that was tickling her nose to the side. She stirred and Hyde froze. A second later she was deep asleep again.

He ran a finger down the side of her face, tracing her jaw. He moved his fingers to her lips, tracing the half that he could reach as they turned upwards. He smiled with her. Realizing how Forman-like he was behaving he dropped his hand from her face.

He ran the thumb of the hand resting on her side over her waist. Jackie shifted again, moving closer to him so her entire body was pressed against him. Hyde's thumb continued to move in circles on her flesh as he laid there with her.

"Mm. Steven?" Jackie mumbled.

"Yeah?" he whispered, not sure if she was actually talking to him or talking in her sleep.

"What time is it?"

Hyde glanced over at the clock. "Eight thirty."

Her eyes cracked as she looked up at him. "Why are you up so early baby?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Fine, really."

"Oh, okay."

She yawned and stretched out. Hyde watched her arch her back and he leaned down to kiss her. He laid on top of her and kissed her softly again.

"You're beautiful."

"You're sweet."

"So I guess we should be going today," he said.

"I guess," she nodded, playing with the hair at the back of his neck.

Hyde pressed a kiss to her collarbone. She stroked his neck as they laid there together. Hyde rested his head on her shoulder as she continued to run her nails over his neck. It felt really good.

"Steven, what if I don't want to leave here?"

Finally Hyde pulled away to look at her. He scanned her face and could see she was serious. Hyde shifted as he thought of how to respond.

"If you're serious, if you really want to stay, then we'll stay. But you have to be sure about this because if we stay it's going to be hard to leave again, okay?"

"Okay."

"So do you really want to stay?"

"Yes. Steven I loved it last night, going out and walking around downtown. It was wonderful, well besides the asshole at the bar but anyway I had a lot of fun here last night."

"Then we'll stay."

"Really?" she asked with a huge grin.

"Really doll. We'll need to find a job and a place to live if you're serious about this though."

"I am," she assured him, bringing his mouth down to hers.

Hyde wrapped his arms under her shoulders, pulling her chest tighter against his. He looked down at her and smiled.

"We'll do that then."

"I love you," she said, stroking his cheek.

"Ditto," he nodded.

She arched an eyebrow at him but didn't question it. They both knew that even though he loved her he wasn't going to say it all day every day. Instead he sealed the ditto with a kiss to her forehead. Her smile softened as she ran her thumb over his beard.

They stayed like that for a long time, just staring at each other and talking with Hyde lying on top of her. Occasionally they'd kiss but mostly it was just talking about what they were going to do if they stayed in Pittsburgh.

"So you're a hundred percent sure you want to stay?"

"Absolutely."

"Then I guess we can start looking for jobs if you want."

Jackie nodded so Hyde got up to get the paper from the front desk. As always, he told her to leave the door locked and not open it for anyone. As always, Jackie rolled her eyes as he walked out.


	11. Chapter 11

"_So you're a hundred percent sure you want to stay?"_

"_Absolutely."_

"_Then I guess we can start looking for jobs if you want."_

_Jackie nodded so Hyde got up to get the paper from the front desk. As always, he told her to leave the door locked and not open it for anyone. As always, Jackie rolled her eyes as he walked out. _

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

A month later and Jackie and Hyde still couldn't find jobs. They'd tried everywhere but were unsuccessful. No one was willing to hire a couple of teens with no real ties to the community and no references.

Hyde had already told Jackie that they had one week to find a decent job perspective or else they'd have to leave. That had been five days before.

In the month they had been here they had spent two thousand bucks and they didn't have any way to earn it back. They had agreed that tomorrow they would head out to check out Albany. They were already packed and had spent all day walking around Pittsburg one final time and now he'd finally caved to taking her clubbing.

"Come on Jackie. Are we going?"

"I'm almost ready. Just one more minute," she called back through the open bathroom door.

"If you're not ready in one minute I'm leaving without you."

"No you won't. You wouldn't even be going out if it wasn't for me."

Hyde had to admit she had a point.

"It doesn't matter anyway. I'm ready now."

Hyde glanced over from his spot on the bed to see Jackie exiting the bathroom. Hyde groaned as he took in her tight, short dress. She shot him a grin.

"You look hot. Well, you always look hot but you look even hotter right now."

"Thanks handsome."

Hyde shook his head. He had finally caved to a nickname from her. Handsome was at least respectable as a man, unlike sweetie or honey or the other absurd names she had tried out in the last thirty days.

"So you're really going to take me out tonight?"

"Whatever."

She smiled.

"Good because I'm ready."

"Good."

Hyde took her hand and walked out of the hotel room. Jackie pranced along next to him, unable to contain her excitement. They walked down the street towards the club they had agreed to. Hyde was grateful he had decided to get a hotel in the city for now because that was much easier than having to drive to town every day. Plus it was nicer so Jackie could go out by herself if she wanted. Not that she did much but it gave her the option.

"Thank you for this Steven. I needed to get out and have fun tonight. I'm going to miss it here. I really thought we were going to last here."

"I'm sure we'll have better luck somewhere else doll."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"Good because I don't want to go back. You know the first few days I missed Point Place but now I don't. I still miss our friends and the Formans but I don't miss anything else. I'm glad we left."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Aren't you?"

He didn't even have to think about it. This was what he'd always wanted, getting out of Point Place. Doing it with Jackie was that much better.

"Yeah, I am."

"I kind of wish we could have stayed here," Jackie said again.

Hyde wasn't quite sure what it was about this city but Jackie loved it. He wished they could have found something here but they tried nearly everywhere they were qualified for with no success.

"I'm sorry Jacks."

She looked over at him. "For what?"

"I couldn't find a job so now we have to leave."

"I couldn't find a job either," she reminded him.

"Yeah well I still let you down."

Jackie stopped then turned him to look at her.

"Steven! No you didn't. You've been incredible this whole time. It's not your fault we couldn't get hired."

He really didn't want to talk about it anymore so instead he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Are we going to the club or no?"

"We'll go as soon as you stop shutting me out. Talk to me."

"I don't want to talk Jackie. I have nothing to talk about," he insisted, walking away.

"Steven," she called after him.

Hyde stopped and rubbed his eyes. He turned back to Jackie. She looked pissed and hurt. He stepped back to her then pulled her against his chest and rubbed her back.

"Let's just go to the club. You'll have fun there and then tomorrow we can talk about this, alright?"

"No Steven. I want to talk about this now. You're going to be all weird if we don't. So here's the thing. I like it here but I don't care where we go as long as you're there so quit starting fights!"

"Whatever."

"No, not whatever. Look at me. Look at me Steven!"

Hyde met her eyes and Jackie took his face in her hands.

"I love you," she said quietly.

"I love you too."

"Then trust me when I say that I don't care where we are as long as you're with me. Don't you feel the same way? Does it really matter where we are as long as we can support ourselves and be together?"

Hyde shook his head no.

"Exactly," she said leaning forward to kiss him. Hyde sighed then kissed her again.

"Alright. Let's go."

"Okay."

Jackie gripped his hand and they walked the rest of the way to the club in silence. The bouncer outside let them in without a question.

In the club Hyde kept Jackie close. He kept his arm wrapped around her shoulders so she was pressed close to him. He led her to the bar and ordered two beers. When the bartender brought them back Hyde gave one to Jackie and kept one himself. She crinkled her nose.

He knew she didn't like beer all that much but tonight wasn't the night to get trashed and all of her fruity drinks had a lot of alcohol which her tiny body couldn't quite handle.

"Let's dance," Jackie suggested.

Hyde rolled his eyes but remembered what Red had told him a couple years before. So he took Jackie's hand and led her to the dance floor. They swayed easily to the music as he followed the steps Kitty had taught him all those years ago.

When a slow song started Jackie moved closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder as they danced.

"This reminds me of prom," she said.

"Yeah," Hyde agreed. "But this time you're going home with me."

"Yes I am. You know, when you left with Pam Macy it hurt my feelings."

"What? Why?"

"Because you were my date then you left with someone else."

"That was for your benefit. I was letting you and Kelso get back together."

"I know that and at the time I was kind of grateful to you for that but at the same time I wished you would have stayed with me. You know I think that's the night my crush on you started. I just pushed it down while I was with Michael."

"Yeah, well that's kinda when I realized you were hot."

Jackie smiled up at him but it faded. "But then you went and did it with Pam Macy in the back of my daddy's Lincoln."

"No I didn't. I made out with her but that was it."

"Good," she smiled, pecking his lips. "I hated the idea that you did it with her."

"I hated the idea of you with Kelso that night," he admitted.

It was the first time he'd ever said anything like that before, admitted to feeling any sort of jealousy towards her relationship with Kelso.

Jackie leaned back close to his chest even though the music had picked up again. Hyde just held her, swaying side to side as everyone moved around them, not even caring how ridiculous they looked.

Finally she stepped away. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"I could use another beer," she said.

"Alright," he nodded before taking her hand then guiding her to the bar.

He put his hands on either side of her on the bar, trapping her between them. He stepped closer so she was pressed between him and the bar. Hyde moved his face next to hers to talk to the bartender.

"Can I get two beers?" he yelled over the music.

The guy behind the bar nodded then walked away.

Jackie shimmied, dancing to the music, her body grinding against his. He turned his head towards Jackie. He pressed a couple of feather light kisses to her neck and she giggled.

"Here ya go," the bartender called to him. "Four bucks man."

Hyde pulled a five from his wallet and handed it to the guy. "Keep the change."

Jackie then tugged him back to the dance floor where they began to dance to the rhythm again. Hyde smiled as she moved sexily against him.

"You know if you would have danced like this at prom there's no way in hell I would have let you leave with Kelso."

Jackie smiled as she slid against him.

"You're so fucking sexy," he growled, pulling her closer.

"I know."

He laughed.


	12. Chapter 12

"_You know if you would have danced like this at prom there's no way in hell I would have let you leave with Kelso."_

_Jackie smiled as she slid against him._

"_You're so fucking sexy," he growled, pulling her closer. _

"_I know."_

_He laughed._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Jackie and Hyde barely made it to the room with their clothes on. Hyde had her dress off of her before the door even closed. He spun around and pinned her against it. He lifted her to his waist, wrapping her legs around him.

"God baby," he mumbled into her neck as she grinded against him.

"Now Steven. Please," she begged, seeking out his mouth.

Hyde met her mouth then inserted two fingers into her causing Jackie to drop her head back. Hyde took advantage of her wide-open neck and began nipping at the skin as he added another finger to her core.

"Steven you feel so good baby," she told him as he nipped her neck.

He thrust into her faster, harder each time until Jackie's mouth finally formed the perfect 'O' that came with her orgasm.

With that, both of them sank to the ground, Jackie on top of Hyde. Jackie played with the hem of his shirt. She finally pushed this shirt off of his torso.

"I like your chest," she said, tracing her finger over his chest. "It's so sexy."

"I like your chest too," he told her with a smirk.

"Pig," she chuckled.

"Pig? Pig? Who are you calling a pig?" he asked, rolling them over so he was over her.

Jackie giggled as his fingers tickled her ribs. She squirmed under him, trying to escape his hands. He laughed at her expense and used his body to pin her harder to the ground.

"Stop," she shrieked. "Please stop."

"Why should I stop?" he challenged, pausing briefly.

"Because you looove me."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No."

"Yes. And stop contradicting me. You love me. Admit it and we can go to bed," she insisted, running a hand down his cheek.

"No."

Jackie rolled her eyes and slid out from under him, her face suddenly serious. He watched her climb into the bed. He moved to join her but was hit with a pillow from the bed along with one of the spare blankets.

"Come on Jacks."

She didn't say anything as she slid under the covers, her back to him. He groaned but stuffed the pillow under his head and pulling the blankets around him.

"Night," he called into the darkness before rolling over to fall asleep.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Steven," Jackie whispered to Hyde.

"Hmm?" he mumbled into his pillow.

He felt her warm arms wrap around his body. He was pretty sure he had to be dreaming given that she had gone to bed pissed off at him.

Then he felt her lips kiss his skin. Normally they felt warm but on his sleep-heated skin they felt rather cool.

"Steven, wake up," she insisted, moving her mouth to his shoulder.

"What?" he asked sleepily.

"Come to bed with me."

"What?" he asked again, opening his eyes to look at her.

"Can you come lay down with me? I'm really cold."

Hyde yawned and looked at her face.

"Are you still mad?"

"Yes but I'm colder than I am mad so come to bed."

She got off the ground and walked back to the bed. Hyde watched her but stayed where he was. She climbed under the covers before looking over at him, an eyebrow cocked.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you coming to bed?"

"Why are you mad at me?"

"Why do you keep saying you don't love me?"

"I don't keep saying it Jackie. I said it once and I didn't mean it."

"Well then maybe you shouldn't say it!"

"We both knew I didn't mean it."

"How was I supposed to know? What's to keep you from changing your mind and not loving me anymore?"

"I don't know!"

Hyde got up to flick the light on. He could barely see anything in here besides general shapes and movement and fighting with Jackie required the ability to see her face and read her expressions.

With the lights on he glanced at the bed. Jackie was wrapped in the blankets, shaking. Hyde sighed then walked over to her, grabbing his blanket off the floor on the way.

"Come here," he instructed as he climbed under the comforter with her.

Jackie seemed to wage an internal war with herself before moving into his arms. Hyde leaned against the headboard of the bed, pulling her tight against him, his body encircling hers. Jackie huddled against him and Hyde tried to pull her as close to him as possible. Both were trying to come up with a way to talk about their fight without starting another one.

"I don't like fighting with you," Jackie whispered after a second.

"I don't like fighting with you either."

"So then why do we fight?"

"Because you're the spoiled princess and I'm the badass rebel. We're meant to fight."

Her body tensed.

"So then why are we together if you feel that way?"

"Because we want to be together."

This seemed to relax her as she leaned against him.

"Can we try not to fight anymore? I'll try to be less sensitive if you stop being so careless about what you say," she offered.

"Yeah, okay doll," he agreed.

He kissed her forehead once. "Let's just go to sleep. We have to head out early tomorrow."


	13. Chapter 13

_**AN: I'm soo sorry this took so long to be posted. I just started med school so it has been quite a crazy week. If you haven't read my profile, I promise, this story is complete. I finish them before I post them because I hate unfinished stories. If you just bear with me I will try to post as much as I can with the little free time I have.**_

"_Because you're the spoiled princess and I'm the badass rebel. We're meant to fight."_

_Her body tensed._

"_So then why are we together if you feel that way?"_

"_Because we want to be together."_

_This seemed to relax her as she leaned against him._

"_Can we try not to fight anymore? I'll try to be less sensitive if you stop being so careless about what you say," she offered._

"_Yeah, okay doll," he agreed._

_He kissed her forehead once. "Let's just go to sleep. We have to head out early tomorrow."_

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Hyde woke up the next morning to find Jackie still out cold. Silently he slid out of the bed and went into the bathroom. He started the shower then brushed his teeth while the water warmed up. As he brushed he looked at his reflection.

He shook his head and rubbed his beard, the one thing Jackie absolutely hated about him. Before he could rethink it he grabbed a razor and shaving cream. He lathered the cream on his face then shaved the beard he had grown over the summer away.

After his shower he dressed as quietly as possible. When he was in his jeans and t-shirt he grabbed a piece of paper from the nightstand and jotted Jackie a quick note telling her he was picking up breakfast and he'd be back soon. As he was setting it on the pillow, Jackie stirred.

She looked up at him with sleepy eyes but they quickly lit up and she beamed at him.

"You shaved."

"Yeah I did."

She reached out and touched his now smooth skin. She then kissed his cheek then his lips then his other cheek. Finally she pulled away and glanced down at the pillow then his dressed body.

"Are you leaving?" she asked her eyes wide with fear.

Hyde leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?"

"To get breakfast," he said.

"Liar."

Hyde shook his head with a smirk. She was too freaking good at reading him.

"Maybe."

Jackie shifted to sit up as she looked up at him.

"So then where are you going?" she demanded, a hint of anger and fear in her voice.

Hyde bit the inside of his lip while he considered. If he lied again she'd be pissed but he didn't want to get her hopes up. Finally he decided the truth was the best option.

"I'm going down to a mechanic shop to see if I can get a job there. I saw it yesterday. I figured one last shot," he shrugged.

"Really? Can I come too?"

"Why?"

"Well Steven, if you remember, I can fix cars just as well as you can, if not better."

Hyde chuckled but she had a point. She was good with cars.

"Fine. Get dressed then. I'll give you five minutes."

"Five minutes is not enough time," she challenged.

"It'll be plenty time. Just put on jeans and a shirt, put your hair up, and we can go."

"What about my makeup? Plus I'm not going to wear my hair up to go get a job. It looks much, much better if you wear your hair down," she informed him, getting up out of the bed.

Hyde pulled her to him. She grinned up at him then brought her lips to his. She pulled back then leaned forward to peck his lips again.

"Go get dressed," Hyde forced out.

He wanted to continue with where this was going but then he'd never get to the mechanic to try and get a job.

"Fine. But I get ten minutes."

"No. Five."

"Eight?"

"Five."

"Six?"

"Five."

"Fine," she huffed. "Five minutes."

Hyde slapped her ass as she spun to walk away, causing her to yelp and jump forward. She shot him a dirty look as she walked to the dresser where they had started keeping their clothes. She pulled off the flannel pajamas she had slept in the night before.

Hyde laid back on the bed and watched her dress. He'd always thought watching her undress was sexy but watching her pull on her clothes, especially after they had sex, was so fucking sexy. He never would have thought watching her putting her clothes on would be that amazing.

"Watching me dress again?" she giggled.

He nodded.

"Perv," she teased.

Hyde's eyebrows shot up as she passed the bed to get to the bathroom. He reached out and pulled her into his lap. He kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Your face is soft," she smiled, rubbing her face against his cheek.

He groaned and pulled away.

"Damn Jackie. Way to kill the mood."

"I'm not killing the mood. I like it. It's a good thing."

"Soft is for chicks."

Jackie bit his jaw bone, her teeth and tongue grazing over the skin. She moved up to his ear, sucking it into her mouth. She pulled back, her lips grazing over his ear as his breathing hitched.

"Do you like this?"

"Yeah," he breathed.

"I couldn't do this with your beard. See how much better it is without a beard?"

Hyde nodded as she wrapped her lips over his jaw again, nibbling at the skin. He groaned as she moved to the other side.

"Damn Jackie."

He let her continue as she moved her mouth to the underside of his chin, sucking on the skin there. No one had ever found that spot on his neck before and god it felt good. She was so good with her mouth and tongue.

"Alright doll, enough of that," Hyde managed, pulling back.

"Fine but that definitely didn't count as part of my five minutes," she insisted, pecking his lips as she climbed off his lap.

Hyde nodded in agreement. That had been way too great to punish her for it. She was going to have to do it later when they had some more time. He was going to let her explore his neck a little bit more when they got back. Or well tonight maybe when they had a little more time if this didn't pan out and they had to leave.

"For that I'll give you five more."

"Aren't you generous?"

"As a matter of fact I am."

She laughed then walked into the bathroom. Three minutes later she walked back into the room with her hair up and some of her makeup on. She applied her lip gloss then turned to him.

"Alright, let's go."

"Alright."

He took her hand and walked out of the hotel. The mechanic was just down the block so they walked there. Jackie teased Hyde about his 'soft' face the entire walk there. Hyde smacked her ass as they reached the door to the mechanic.

"Will you stop doing that?" she hissed.

"Hey, if you didn't make fun of me and if you didn't have such a great ass we wouldn't be in this position."

"Thank you!"

Hyde chuckled as he pulled open the door for her. Only Jackie would pull the 'great ass' compliment out of that and thank him.


	14. Chapter 14

_He took her hand and walked out of the hotel. The mechanic was just down the block so they walked there. Jackie teased Hyde about his 'soft' face the entire walk there. Hyde smacked her ass as they reached the door to the mechanic._

"_Will you stop doing that?" she hissed._

"_Hey, if you didn't make fun of me and if you didn't have such a great ass we wouldn't be in this position."_

"_Thank you!"_

_Hyde chuckled as he pulled open the door for her. Only Jackie would pull the 'great ass' compliment out of that and thank him._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Jackie stepped past him and Hyde stepped inside next to her. Jackie clung to his arm, obviously nervous. This was offering her one last chance, offering _them_ one last chance. Hyde placed a hand on the small of her back as an older man walked out of the back.

Hyde looked at him. He was an older man, maybe sixty, with gray hair and a wrinkly face. He was wearing blue coveralls with the name 'Harry' on the patch.

"Can I help you two?"

"We're looking for jobs," Jackie said cheerfully.

"What are your names?"

"I'm Jackie and this is Steven but you can call him Hyde."

The man looked between them.

"How old are you two?"

"Eighteen," Hyde answered, hoping the guy would assume he was speaking for the both of them.

"And you?" the guy asked, nodding to Jackie.

"Seventeen."

The man raised his eyebrow in challenge.

"Almost seventeen," Jackie caved.

The man examined Jackie and Hyde and Hyde could already see the questions forming in his mind. Why was someone with Jackie like someone with Hyde? Why were the two of them here in the middle of the day on a weekday? Why were they asking for jobs?"

"If you're sixteen why aren't you in school?"

"Because I want a job. You see I'm really good with cars and I like working on them. It's fun. Of course I will not be wearing one of those," she said pointing to the guy's coveralls. "I'll find something of my own to wear because those are so tacky it's not even funny."

Hyde smirked at the confused look on the guy's face. He knew the guy was trying to figure out if Jackie's explanation had answered his question, which of course it hadn't. Hyde had to give it to her. She had done a damn good job of confusing this guy.

"Right. What experience do you two have with cars?"

"Oh, Mr. Forman taught us both. We know how to do almost anything regarding cars. But I don't know the technical names of things. I just don't get why they give some of the parts such stupid names."

"Why does a pretty young girl like you really want to work in a car shop?" the man questioned.

"I don't have a choice," Jackie admitted. "I like Pittsburgh but we can't get hired anywhere else and I really don't want to leave."

"Where are your parents?"

This question seemed to give Jackie pause but she regained her composure a second later.

"My dad's dead and my mom…I don't know where my mom is."

The man nodded then looked to Hyde expectantly. Hyde shrugged. The guy continued to stare at him so Hyde let out a sigh.

"My parents ditched me a few years ago."

"How long have you two been on your own?"

"A month," Jackie spoke.

"Where are you living?"

"In a motel down the street," Hyde answered.

"And how have you-," he began.

"Harry will you stop bombarding these poor kids with questions," a blonde woman instructed as she stepped out of the back office. "We're looking for help and they seem desperate for the work."

"We don't know anything about them though Susan."

"Harry," the woman said, warningly.

The man looked at Jackie and Hyde again before sighing. He turned to face what Hyde assumed was his wife.

"We're going to have to talk about this. You kids can just sit down right there."

Hyde nodded then led Jackie to the seats along the one wall. Hyde sat in one chair but Jackie was too antsy to sit. She instead walked back and forth until Hyde took her hand and pulled her so she was standing between his legs. He gripped her thighs, holding her in place and Jackie hands held his shoulders.

"Babe, you need to chill. Whatever happens happens. We can't do anything more so relax."

Jackie's arms relaxed and slid to halfway down his back. She rubbed his back slowly as she leaned further into him but still standing.

"I know baby."

"We'll find somewhere else to live. We'll figure it all out," he promised her. "I'll figure it all out."

"I know. I trust you."

"Good. We'll work it out though babe. I promise."

"Okay."

She began to lower herself into the seat next to his but the office door was pulled open before her butt reached the seat. She leapt up, tugging on Hyde's hand for him to follow. Hyde rose, expecting the worst.

"Steven, Jackie, my wife Sue and I have decided that we are going to hire you both on a single condition. We expect Jackie to continue her education. Steven will work full time for us while Jackie will work part time after school and on the weekends. We'll be sure that the two of you make enough to get by and live a stable life."

"Okay," Hyde agreed immediately.

He was excited that Jackie was going to be able to graduate. She loved school. Part of it was the social aspect but another part of it was the fact that Jackie did well in school. She was smart and college was always something she'd wanted to do and her graduating was the first step of that.

"Steven, we'd be better off both getting full time work," Jackie argued.

"No. You're going to go to school and graduate Jackie. He said we're going to get enough to survive and that's all we'll need right now."

"Steven," she began.

"Jackie, no! We're taking this. I want you to graduate. I don't want you to resent me because you never did what you wanted with your life. Thank you very much sir. When do we start?"

Hyde looked over to the man who had an approving smile on his face as he examined Hyde wrapping his arm around Jackie's shoulders.

"Start a week from tomorrow," Susan answered. "You two kids should go have one more week of fun before you start work. Maybe look for an apartment that you could afford on a $1,000 a month income."

"And don't forget to sign Jackie up for school," Harry added.

"We won't," Hyde assured him.

"Good man," Harry said, extending his hand to Hyde.

Hyde took it and met Harry's deep brown eyes. "Thank you man. You don't know how much it means to me."

"You're welcome son and I'll see you both a week from tomorrow at 9 am sharp."

"Yes sir."

With that Jackie and Hyde walked out of the mechanic. They were just turning the corner of the building when Jackie leapt into Hyde's arms, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist.

"I can't believe we actually get to stay here! You're amazing," she told him before kissing him.

He gave her a confused look as she pulled back and beamed at him, her legs still wrapped around his waist.

"What did I do?"

"This was your idea. You're the one who brought us here."

Hyde could see the 'my-hero' gleam in her eyes as she smiled at him. He liked it when she looked at him like that, like he was _the _best thing in the world to her.

"I love you," he told her, kissing her nose.

She gave him a surprised look. He couldn't blame her for her surprise. She knew as well as he did that he wasn't one to say that for no reason but he did have a reason. She just didn't know it. She didn't know just how amazing she made him feel when she looked at him like that.

"So what do we want to do first?" Hyde asked.

"Mm…oh we can go apartment hunting!" she suggested, bouncing up and down, still wrapped around him.

"Let's go back to the room and take care of some other things first," he insisted, guiding her body down his.

She brushed his hard on and nodded knowingly. "Yeah, let's do that."


	15. Chapter 15

"_So what do we want to do first?" Hyde asked._

"_Mm…oh we can go apartment hunting!" she suggested, bouncing up and down, still wrapped around him._

"_Let's go back to the room and take care of some other things first," he insisted, guiding her body down his._

_She brushed his hard on and nodded knowingly. "Yeah, let's do that."_

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"I can't believe we get to go apartment hunting!" Jackie squealed in delight as she pulled her jeans on, leaving her in just her jeans and bra as she searched for the shirt which had flown behind the chair.

"Mhm," he nodded as he watched her bend over to check under the comforter that had landed on the floor.

He leaned back in the bed, enjoying his view.

"I mean we'll be like real adults with our own place. I can't wait! Oh and I get to decorate it however I want…or well however we want?"

"I don't care as long as you don't put unicorns anywhere."

"Deal," she agreed, leaning over the bed to kiss him.

Hyde groaned and pulled her on top of him. Jackie giggled as she straddled his naked lap. She looped her arms around his neck, her hands playing with the curls at the base of his head. She slid over him slowly, her jeans rubbing against his cock.

"Fuck baby."

"Steven, one more time and then we're going apartment hunting," she breathed.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Steven, get up."

"What?"

"Get up!" she insisted, pushing him off of her. "We're going apartment hunting, remember?"

"Can't we do that tomorrow?"

"No! Oh please Steven? Please, please, please, please, please?" she begged.

Hyde groaned as he glanced at the clock next to the bed. It was one in the afternoon so they still had plenty of time. Without a word he got out of the bed and yanked on jeans and a t-shirt.

"We don't have to if you really don't want to," Jackie mumbled, avoiding looking at him.

Hyde inhaled deeply. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed.

"No. Come on. I promised we'd go."

"I don't want you to go because you have to. I want you to go because you want to look for an apartment with me."

She was disappointed. This had been very important to her. They were taking yet another step in their relationship together and she was ecstatic with the idea. Hyde not going along with her excitement was ruining it for her and he knew it.

Hyde lowered himself onto the bed next to her. He ran his hand down her cheek as he looked at her.

"Baby, I'm excited about getting our own apartment," he assured her, guiding her to look at him. "I just hate leaving the bed when you're in it with me."

She smiled at this explanation. "So you don't want to get up because I'm just too sexy?"

"Something like that," he nodded.

She beamed up at him.

"But I'm already out of the bed now so let's go!" he barked as he rose from the bed again.

She nodded then jumped out of the bed. She quickly pulled on her own clothes, bouncing giddily as she dressed. Hyde watched with an amused smile for a minute before moving to grab the newspaper. He sat on the little couch of the hotel room, knowing if they ended up back in the bed together they were not going to leave.

He flipped open the paper as she dropped down next to him. She leaned against his arm as he reached the classifieds.

"So we should read through these and decide which we like. Remember we should only spend like 300 on it or so," Hyde told her.

"Why?" Jackie asked.

"Well we'll need to pay for utilities and stuff too. And food. And put some aside for whatever."

"Right," she nodded.

"What about this one?" he asked, pointing to an ad in the center of the page.

Jackie leaned over to read it. She nodded. "One bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen. A hundred and fifty dollars. That's good, right?"

Hyde nodded and reached for the phone. He dialed the listed number and waited as it rang. As he waited he scanned the paper and spotted a few more options but all were around $250 or so."

"Whaddaya want?" a woman greeted.

"An apartment. The paper said you had one."

"I do. It's 150 without utilities. Dogs okay but we don't take cats."

"Right. Well when's a good time for me and my girlfriend to come check it out?"

"Whenever."

"Would a half hour be alright?"

"Yup," she drawled. "Address is 1492 Bellevue Avenue."

"Alright."

"I'm the first door on the right."

"Okay, thanks."

The woman grunted then hung up the phone. Hyde hung up the phone too then rose to his feet. He pulled Jackie to her feet too.

"I can't believe we're going to look at an apartment together. God I never would have thought that we'd be doing this."

"Yeah, me neither," Hyde admitted.

"I'm so excited," she clapped.

"Yeah, well let's go," he said, grabbing her coat, knowing how easily she got cold, along with his keys.

Hyde walked over and yanked the door to their hotel open. Jackie walked to the doorway but stopped in front of him. She took her coat from him, kissed his cheek then walked out with Hyde hot on her heels.

"I got that," Hyde said as she reached for the car door.

"Thank you," she cooed as he pulled it open.

"Whatever," he said with a wink.

She kissed him again, this time on his mouth just before she slid into the car.

Hyde walked around to his side of the car and wanted to kick himself. He was such a sap, holding the doors open for her and being nice. What was wrong with him? He was supposed to be cold and careless but he didn't want to hurt her so here he was holding open doors for her or holding her hand as he drove towards the apartment.


	16. Chapter 16

_Hyde walked around to his side of the car and wanted to kick himself. He was such a sap, holding the doors open for her and being nice. What was wrong with him? He was supposed to be cold and careless but he didn't want to hurt her so here he was holding open doors for her or holding her hand as he drove towards the apartment._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Jackie read Hyde directions to the apartment but other than that they were silent until they pulled onto the street of the apartment.

"Oh my God, this place is awful," Jackie said quietly.

Hyde glanced around the street as he nodded in agreement. The entire area looked run down; the houses looked like they hadn't had any routine maintenance like painting or even having their lawn mowed in a long time. A few of the local businesses were abandoned and boarded up.

They parked in front of the building with the numbers 1492 painted on the top of the door. Hyde pushed his door open and gestured for Jackie to follow him out. She did and Hyde took her hand in his.

He kept her close, not really liking the looks of the area, as they walked up to the door. He pulled it open but stepped inside with Jackie instead of letting her go in first.

He glanced around and found the lobby to be just as degraded as the outside. On the right was a door with a placard on the front which red "Landlord."

Hyde knocked on the door and Jackie held his hand in hers. She squeezed it as the door unlocked. Hyde tapped his foot as the door slowly opened to reveal a woman who could have been Edna but blonde. She had a cigarette in her fingers as she examined them.

"What?"

"We're here to look at the apartment."

"Right. I need the key," she offered before slamming the door in their faces.

"I don't know about this," Hyde stated.

"Why not? It's really cheap and if we put all that extra money aside each moth just think about how quickly we'll be able to buy a house instead."

Hyde stopped for a second, shocked at the idea of buying a house with Jackie. The apartment didn't seem like that big of a deal. People moved into apartments all the time together. Buying a house though? You only bought a house with someone when you were thinking of a family and kids, maybe a dog or something like that. That made him incredibly nervous, Jackie expecting that from him already.

"Steven?"

"What?"

"Are you alright?"

"Uh-huh."

"Liar."

"I'm fine Jackie. Just drop it," he snapped.

Jackie looked upset for a second but then Hyde saw the confusion clear from her face. She took a step closer to him and grabbed his face in her hands.

"Now listen to me Steven Hyde, you are _not _going to run away because you get scared about us getting serious. I love you and you love me and our messed up pasts are _not_ going to keep us from being happy, okay? All I want is to be with you. So please, just talk to me if you think I'm pushing you into something you're not ready for. Don't just shut me out, okay?"

"Whatever."

Jackie's face tightened and she dropped her hands down to her side. She spun around to walk away. A part of Hyde wanted to reach out and stop her but he didn't. Instead he let her stomp outside.

Hyde spun around and punched the brick wall behind him, letting out a growl of frustration as he did. A stabbing pain coursed through his hand and up his arm.

"Fuck!" he yelled out.

"Shut up!" the voice from the phone screamed from behind the landlord's door before it swung open and glared at him.

"Sorry. We'll be back in a minute."

Hyde looked down at his hand and saw the blood on his knuckles. He gritted his teeth as they throbbed in pain.

"Shit," he mumbled before following the path Jackie had taken moments before him.

As he walked out the door he glanced down the street to where he had parked the car. Jackie was sitting on the hood of the car, waiting for him. Hyde walked over and stood in front of his hot girlfriend. He crossed his arms over his chest. They stayed perfectly still, just looking at each other. Finally Hyde sighed, caving.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" she pushed.

"For being an ass."

"I know you're scared Steven but I'm scared too and you acting like this makes me that much more scared. I need to know you're going to be there with me through thick and thin."

"I will be but you can't keep mentioning these huge things like they're nothing. I need a few subtle hints before you spring this shit on me. You talking about us buying a house together like it's the most natural thing in the world…scares me," he admitted.

"Baby," she cooed, taking his hands in hers and pulling him between her legs.

He bit his tongue to keep from showing his pain from her gripping his throbbing hand, as she continued talking.

"You have to talk to me about these things. I'm not a mind reader. I need you to tell me if I'm pushing too fast, remember?"

She squeezed his hands in encouragement to talk to her and he winced. Jackie glanced down at his hand and saw the swollen knuckles and the dried blood.

"Oh my god, what happened to your hand?" she demanded as she brought it closer to her.

"I punched a wall."

"Steven!"

"I was pissed!"

"So you punched a wall?"

"Yeah."

"What is wrong with you? Why would you do that to yourself?" she questioned before kissing his knuckles.

"I was pissed and when I'm pissed I hit shit."

"Well that is not okay baby. You can't go around hurting yourself. God Steven, your hand is so swollen. We should go to the ER. Your hand might be broken."

"It's fine."

Jackie narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. "We are going to the ER, right now."

"Why can't we just look at the apartment and see what we think? By then I bet the swelling goes down."

"Fine. But if it's still that bad when we're done looking at this place we're going to the ER."

"Whatever."

She arched her eyebrow at him in that sexy way only she could pull off. Leaning forward Hyde kissed her. She relaxed into him and Hyde wrapped his arms around her. He pulled away then kissed her forehead.

"Let's go see this apartment."

"Okay," she beamed happily at him.

Hyde kissed her again then pulled her off the car and back to the building. He knocked on the landlord's door and they waited until she appeared.

"You again?"

"Yeah. Can we look at the place?"

"I guess. But you two can't be yelling or anything. I keep a tight ship here," she drawled.

"Uh huh," Hyde said, disbelievingly.

"The apartments up here," she said as she led them up a flight of steps.

Hyde and Jackie followed her up and she led them to a door with the number 8 on it. She pushed open the door and they looked around the place. Immediately Hyde knew this was not an option. This was worse than his place as a kid. He wasn't going to have Jackie living that life.

But Jackie walked forward, glancing around. Hyde followed behind her and the landlady behind him.

"The bedroom's there and the bathroom's there," she said pointing to two doors in front of them. She turned and pointed behind them. "That's the kitchen."

Jackie turned on her heals and walked towards the kitchen. Hyde walked a half step behind her, gripping her hand so she couldn't get any farther ahead of him.

Jackie walked into the kitchen and flicked on the switch, which Hyde knew was a mistake.

Instantly the floor began to scurry around them as the cockroaches and rats ran from the light. Jackie screeched and leapt onto Hyde's back, her legs wrapped around his waist as she looked over his shoulder as the creatures disappeared.

"Steven, let's go. I want out of here _now!"_ she hissed.

Hyde nodded and with Jackie on his back walked out of the door without a word to the landlady. Jackie remained on his back the entire way to the Camino, clinging to him like there was no tomorrow. Hyde waited a moment, expecting her to climb down on her own. When she didn't, Hyde tapped her legs.

"We're at the car babe."

"I know where we are! What if there are more out here?"

"Look, I'll open the door and you just get in alright? You don't even need to step on the ground."

Jackie hesitated then finally agreed. Hyde pulled open the door then turned around. Jackie set her feet down inside the car and Hyde slowly turned to face her. He gripped her hands to help her keep her balance as she lowered herself into the seat.

"Can we just go? I feel so dirty now from that stupid apartment. We should have just left like I said."

"I was trying to buy a house!" he argued as he walked around to his side of the car.

Jackie smiled at him as he got into the car.


	17. Chapter 17

"_Can we just go? I feel so dirty now from that stupid apartment. We should have just left like I said."_

"_I was trying to buy a house!" he argued as he walked around to his side of the car._

_Jackie smiled at him as he got into the car._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Later that night they were back at their hotel, both in the bed. Jackie was sitting with her back against the headboard and her legs sitting out in front of her. Hyde was lying on his side, asleep, with his head in her lap.

Jackie's hand ran through his hair and down to his neck then back up. She was thinking about their day, just reflecting on everything that had happened. She was astounded by how great he was. Sure they had had a little spat earlier but it had been fairly minor and had worked it all out in a matter of minutes.

After the apartment they went out to grab a bite to eat at this cute Italian place she'd wanted to try. After they finished dinner Hyde's hand still hurt and Jackie had made him go to the ER. The doctor had x-rayed the hand and said it was just bruised and swollen. He had given Hyde pain meds. Hyde had been excited, insisting that he was able to have a semi-legal high that way. Apparently though, when he was actually in pain it just made him sleep.

Almost immediately after he had taken the pill he had started looking a little sleepy. Jackie had insisted he lay down but Hyde had resisted until Jackie sat on the bed and begged him to join her. Finally, even after insisting he wasn't going to fall for it, he crawled into the bed. Seconds after his head fell into her lap he was asleep.

He had looked so comfortable so that was how even after three hours Jackie was still sitting there. Luckily the remote had been within arm's reach so she was able to grab it and flip through the channels.

"Mm. How long have I been out?" Hyde mumbled against her leg.

"A little while. How's your hand feeling?"

He opened his hand then made a fist. "Hurts still."

"See baby, that's why you can't punch walls. Promise me you won't punch any more walls."

"I can't promise that," he answered.

"And why not?"

"Because I don't know if I can keep that promise."

She smiled down at him as he rolled over to look up at her. She wanted to be mad but she was just grateful that he was being honest, even if it wasn't what she wanted to hear. It was times like these that made her love him more than before.

Kelso would have just told her what she wanted to hear and then let him hurt her again and again. From everything her and Hyde had been through he had been open and completely honest with her, even when it wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"Thank you for being so amazing Steven. You've been so great with me and everything we've had happen so thank you."

"Anything for you doll."

"You know, when you tell me that, I actually believe it. I love that about you."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I know I can count on you."

"Good. I'll always be there for you," he said.

"I know."

"You look tired."

"I am."

"Come here," he said, his head moving from her lap.

He pulled her down next to him then wrapped his arms around her tightly, spooning her against his chest. She felt him kiss the back of her head before his lips moved to her ear. He kissed her ear softly.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear.

He always managed to surprise her with his sweetness. When she had first met him she never would have thought that he cuddle with her and kiss her ear before whispering 'I love you' in her ear in his sweetest voice.

"I love you too," she replied back as she let her eyes slip shut.

Hyde squeezed her waist tighter against him, kissing her one last time before they both fell asleep.


End file.
